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Words of kindness are works of kindness, and since they cost so little and are worth so much, we should strew them plentifully all along life's way.
~Modern Proverbs
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"The heavens declare the glory of God..." Psalm 19:1
Friday, May 31, 2002
blusteryvirgin
What?! No Friday Five this week?! I think I'm in withdrawl already. I hope it makes a reappearance soon!
Yesterday when I was at Walmart, I picked up a CD copy of the Attack of the Clones soundtrack. It sounds good. I wanted to get a cassette copy so I could listen to it while driving around in the van, but they had only the CDs. That's okay, though, because I can listen to it while I'm on the computer.
I seem to have misplaced my other CDs, not that I have very many. I was wanting to listen to The Monkees Greates Hits. How retro is that? Groovy and all that 60s kind of stuff.
BTW, my favorite track on the new CD is "Love Theme." It has the drama of all powerful love themes from movies of yesteryear. I seem to be one of the few persons in the known universe who actually enjoyed the love story between Anakin and Padme.
I also own the previous sound track, The Phantom Menace. My favorite cut on it is "Duel of the Fates."
I really need to get a CD player for the living room. Jim picked one up at the Goodwill a few months ago, but it has never worked right. Jim denies it, but it hops and skips even on brand new CDs. He has always been in denial when it comes to sound equipment. I can't count the number of disagreements we have gotten into over the years because of record players and stereos.
We need to get our turntable repaired. It is the best one we have ever owned. It is called a Linear Tracking system. Which means the turntable is in a vertical rather than horizontal position. It looks weird, but plays fantastic. I can play albums on it that are impossible to play on a regular turntable because the scratches make the record skip so much.
I'm thinking in particular of an album my siblings and I had while growing up. It is Jimmie Rodgers Greatest Hits. We played it so much it is scratch up until you wouldn't even recognise it as an LP. Anyway, while the record won't play on a regular turntable, it plays quite well on the linear one. Sigh.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
How did your favorite show rate?
A sampling of how the Nielsen ratings stack up for the end of the year from USA Today shows that most of my favorite network shows made the top 40, anyway, though none is in the top 10.
The Rankings for my favorite network shows:
18 Jag
21 Judging Amy
26 The Practice
28 Crossing Jordan
33 The Guardian
60 Alias
115 Enterprise
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Remember Them
Thank you Reid Scott for reminding us mindless bloggers that real life is still going on around us. Freedom comes with a high cost.
The ones who have died for freedom in Afghanistan
· · Air Force Master Sgt. Evander Andrews, 36, of Solon, Maine
· Sgt. Gene Arden Vance Jr., 38, of West Virginia
· Staff Sgt. Brian Craig, 27, of Texas
· Sgt. Jamie Maugans, 27, of Kansas
· Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Romero, 30, of Colorado
· Chief Petty Officer Matthew J. Bourgeois, 35, of Talahassee, Fla.
· Sgt. Bradley S. Crose, 27, of Orange Park, Fla.
· Sgt. Philip J. Svitak, 31, of Joplin, Mo.
· Spc. Marc A. Anderson, 30, of Brandon, Fla.
· Pfc. Matthew A. Commons, 20, of Boulder City, Nev.
· Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman, 36, of Waco, Texas.
· Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham, 26, of Camarillo, Calif.
· Petty Officer 1st Class Neil C. Roberts, 32, of Woodland, Calif.
· Chief Warrant Officer Stanley L. Harriman, 34, of Wade, N.C.
· Staff Sgt. Walter F. Cohee III, 26, of Wicomico, Md.
· Sgt. Dwight J. Morgan, 24, of Mendocino, Calif.
· Capt. Matthew W. Bancroft, 29, of Shasta, Calif.
· Capt. Daniel G. McCollum, 29, of Richland, S.C.
· Gunnery Sgt. Stephen L. Bryson, 35, of Montgomery, Ala.
· Staff Sgt. Scott N. Germosen, 37, of Queens, N.Y.
· Sgt. Nathan P. Hayes, 21, of Lincoln, Wash.
· Lance Cpl. Bryan P. Bertrand, 23, of Coos Bay, Ore.
· Sgt. Jeannette L. Winters, 25, of Du Page, Ill.
· Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Ross Chapman, 31, of San Antonio, Texas
· Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Petithory, 32, of Cheshire, Mass.
· Staff Sgt. Brian Cody Prosser, 28, of Fraizer Park, Calif.
· Master Sgt. Jefferson Donald Davis, 39, of Watauga, Tenn.
· CIA officer Johnny "Mike" Spann, 32, of Winfield, Ala.
· Pvt. 1st Class Kristofor T. Stonesifer, 28, of Missoula, Mont.
· Spc. Jonn J. Edmunds, 20, of Cheyenne, Wyo.
· Machinist's Mate Fireman Apprentice Bryant L. Davis, 20, of Chicago
· Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin Johnson of Rochester, N.Y.
· Petty Officer 1st Class Vincent Parker of Preston, Miss.
· Pvt. Giovanny Maria, 19, of Camden, N.J.
· Navy Fireman Apprentice Michael J. Jakes Jr., 20, of New York City
· Staff Sgt. Justin Galewski, 28, of Kansas
Tuesday Two
1. Of which personality trait are you most proud? I'm a nice person. I sometimes wish I weren't. It would make life simpler if I could just tell someone to "get lost," but I was raised to be polite and do the right thing by people even if it isn't particularily what I want to do at the time. Sigh, I do realize it is better to live by the Golden Rule, but sometimes I just wish I weren't so darn nice! Oh, I hope that isn't a little too honest. I do have to confess, I have gotten to the point were I hang up on telephone solicitors without waiting to hear anything they have to say beyond "Hello, my name is _______ and I am calling on behalf of _______."
2. Describe one physical feature with which you're very happy. Gee, the questions today have a disconcerting familiarity. I think it is because I just made a list of Ten Things I Like About Myself over on my other blog. Let me see, what was at the top of that list? Oh, yes, I like my choice in cologne. I am currently wearing Tabu. That isn't really a physical characteristic but this scent makes me feel good all over when I wear it.
Monday, May 27, 2002
PromoGuy's Monday Mission 2.21
1. What happened this weekend that made you smile? I went to see Attack of the Clones this weekend. My 14-year-old sat with me this time and we had a chuckle over some of the things people did when choosing a seat. A family came in. The husband wanted to sit in a certain row, but the wife went to the row right in front of that and the children followed. There was one seat left for the husband, but he couldn't quite give in to the wife, so he went to a row right across from the row his wife chose (same distance back from the screen). She and the children moved over to sit with him. He had his way--from a certain point of view.
2. Did you make someone smile today? If not, will you try? I think just being with family and friends on a holiday lends itself to smiles without even trying.
3. Have you any clothes or accessories you love to wear but just totally embarass the person you are being seen with? I have a circa 1950s set of jewelry--a necklace with matching earrings. The earrings look like jawbreakers and they stick way out from my ears. It embarrasses my nephews when I wear them out in public.
4. What was the catch phrase you said the most in High School? I dont' know if it is from my high school days, but the word is "Cool." "Aint' that cool?" "That's just too cool!" I still say it. It makes my husband crazy!
5. Who are you remembering this Memorial Day? (or for those not celebrating it, tell me about someone worth remembering) My father was in the Korea War, my Grandfather was in WWI, my husband's brother was in WWII. They've all passed on now.
6. Do you think you are a good friend? Yes. At least my best friend seems to like hanging out with me!
7. (continued from MM 2.20) That outing tonight was a blast ... but that was last call. I totally overdid it and shouldn't drive, anything we can do while I try to "dry out?" It's not "shouldn't drive," it's "don't drive." Nothing you do will help you "dry out" except time. Have a friend see you home and sleep it off!
Memorial Day
We dont' have any big plans for the day. Jim is doing a barbeque later on. Pauline is coming over. It is mighty quiet around here considering the kids are not in school. I hear a war movie playing on TV. I thinks it To Hell and Back with Audie Murphy.
I don't particularily care for war movies. Pauline does. She takes me to war movies, I take her to science fiction movies. Occassionally we see a romantic comedy. It works out well. I think we'll be going to see The Sum of All Fears and Minority Report. I want to see About a Boy, but don't know if it will come to our area.
We have two theatres in town. The single-screen, Chehalis Theatre, is showing Attack of the Clones. That will be there for a few more weeks, according to the ticket seller I questioned yesterday when I saw this movie for the 2nd time (btw I liked it even more than on first viewing). The three-scene, Regal Cinema III, is currently showing Spiderman, Spirit, and that movie about the woman who is cheating on her husband for no good reason but ends up causing a lot of trouble for everyone.
Anyway, about that barbeque: Cube steaks, hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, potato chips, and coca-cola. God bless America!
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Which era in time are you?
Hebrews 11:1
Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
This has been one of my favorite Scriptures from the first time I read it. I like it even more when I consider the definitions of some of the key worlds.
Faith--a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that He has promised to us in Christ Jesus.
Substance--The quality of confidence which leads one to stand under, endure, or undertake anything.
Evidence--faith demonstrating to the eye of the mind the reality of those things that cannot be discerned by the eye of the body.
Amen!
Friday, May 24, 2002
Friday Five
1. What's the last vivid dream that you remember having?The last vivid dream I remember having is the one where my dead aunt raises from the grave, wakes me up from a deep sleep and chases me down the stairs. Yuck. That one was so real I don't think I will ever forget it.
2. Do you have any recurring dreams? No, but I have recurring characters: Grandma, Dad, Aunt Judy (who BTW wasn't the aunt that chased me down the stairs). These relatives have all passed on also, but these people appear in more pleasant dreams.
3. What's the scariest nightmare you've ever had? I used to have nightmares when I was about 5 years old. Mom tells me I would sit straight up in bed and scream and scream. The only one I remember is that I was outside with someone, I think it was my sister. It started to pour rain, but instead of rain it was pouring silver needles, and we couldn't get away from them. OUCH.
4. Have you ever written your dreams down or considered it? Why or why not? No I've never written the dreams down, though I should. Some of them would make dandy sci-fi kind of short stories, and I can never remember exactly what they were about.
5. Have you ever had a lucid dream? What did you do in it? No, I've never had a lucid dream--that I remember anyway.
I highly recommend the "Amelia Peabody Mystery" series by Elizabeth Peters. The first book in the series is titled Crocodile on the Sandbank. Amelia Peabody is an archeolgist at the turn of the 20th century. She is extraordinary at a time when it is expected women aren't. She charts her own course and figures she will never need a man in her life. Needless to say, in the first novel she meets her future husband, Radcliff Emerson. He is as extraordinary as Amelia. They don't hit it off, but by the end of the first book Amelia proposes marriage to him. In subsequent novels, they continue their adventures--tomb robbers, international spies, murderers, and of course the birth of their son Ramses. The series follow the Emersons through many years. The family, friends, and pets the Emersons' acquire along the way are as unpredictable and unconventional as they.
I am currently reading Lord of the Silent and I'm looking forward to her newest, The Golden One
The Books
- Crocodile on the Sandbank
- The Curse of the Pharaohs
- The Mummy Case
- Lion in the Valley
- The Deeds of the Disturber
- The Last Camel Died at Noon
- The Snake, the Crocodile & the Dog
- The Hippopotamus Pool
- Seeing a Large Cat
- The Ape Who Guards the Balance
- The Falcon at the Portal
- He Shall Thunder in the Sky
- Lord of the Silent
- The Golden One
Thursday, May 23, 2002
There's No Place Like Home
Copyright 1999 by Deborah Beachboard
Despite the happy ending,
Miss Gulch won't fade away
like a rumble of thunder.
She'll clutch the sheriff's order
pester Em and Henry,
'til Toto lays as still
as sky after a cyclone,
and Dorothy realizes
Glinda is a very wicked witch.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Additional Dialogue from The Empire Strikes Back
From out there in cyberland
Vader: No... Luke......I AM YOUR FATHER!
Luke: No! It's not true! It's impossible!
Vader: Search your feelings... You know it to be true...
Luke: NOOO!!!
Vader: Yes...it is true. And you know what else? You know that brass droid of yours?
Luke: Threepio?
Vader: Yes...Threepio. I built him......when I was only seven years old...
Luke: No...
Vader: SEVEN YEARS OLD! And what have you done? Look at yourself -- no light saber, no hand, no job...couldn't even levitate your own ship out of a swamp...
Read the entire original post
I finally broke down and bought some bedding plants to put in the pots around the patio. I didn't get any begonninas this year. I did get some geraniums, impatiens, and petunias. And, of course, a fucshia in memory of Grandma (at one time she owned a greenhouse and her specialty was fucshias). The one I bought this year is much smaller than I usually get. It is a single blossom variety in two shades of pink. I'll have to look for a tag and see if it has a variety name attached. I know you can winter fucshias, but I have never tried. For one thing, I don't have a place to store one over the winter.
Jim and I went to the Goodwill today. We only get there once a week these days. Anyway, I found two beautiful lounging gowns. One in a shades of green geometic pattern; the other in a pastel flower pattern. They feel like silk, but are actually polyester. I also found the paperback version of Along Came a Spider. I never saw the movie version, but it looked good.
Tonight we are looking forward to watching the season finale of Star Trek Enterprise. I wonder if it will be a cliffhanger like so many of the finales have been: Crossing Jordan, The Guardian, Jag, Andromeda, Judging Amy--sort of.
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
It's a great day to be alive, I know the sun's still shining when I close my eyes. There's some hard times in the neighborhood, but why can't everyday be just this good? Yeah! I got tickets to the Travis Tritt concert. Boo! I have to still wait three months to see him. He is going to be at our county fair in August--for one show only! I'm not actually a big country music fan, but the kids are and they are the ones that got me hooked on Tritt, not that I'm complaining. Of course, with the price of tickets (I had to buy five) it's going the be the big thing for us this summer.
Monday, May 20, 2002
BBC Test the nation national IQ test. This was fun. I took the test a few days ago and scored a few notches above the Britian national average. I freely admit, it was the math that did me in! I can do that sort of thing with pencil and paper, but not in my mind in the few seconds they give you. It might have helped if I had taken it early in the day and not at bedtime! Anyway, you don't have to live in Britian to take the test, I don't, you just need an email address.
Okay, the children and I and two friends went to see Episode Two Saturday afternoon. It was a very good movie! It struck just the right balance between storyline/action. The first half of the movie was plot and character building, the second half was action. Great action at that! Padme was georgeous, Anakin headstrong, Obi-Wan classy, Yoda astounding (go Yoda!), and Jar Jar as clumsy with politics as he is with everything else. This movie was head and shoulders above The Phantom Menace. So much so that I have revised the order of my favorite SW movies: 1) A New Hope--no subsequent SW movie has cause me the exitement this movie did upon first viewing. 2) Attack of the Clones--the visual effects alone make this a superior SW movie. 3) The Return of the Jedi. 4) The Empire Strikes Back. 5) The Phantom Menace--I always want to fast forward through the pod race, but the kids won't let me!
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Jesus Christ, The Healer
The symbol of modern medicine is a brazen serpent, a replica of the very one Moses lifted to stay the plague on Israel. Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to Me." He draws us to Himself in love, then touches us with healing power. When man fell in the garden, he opened himself up to sin and sickness. Jesus paid for our sin on the cross and bore stripes for our sicknessess just before He was crucified.
Isaiah looked ahead and saw the Son of God as both Savior and Healer:He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)Jesus not only fulfilled that prophecy, He continues today:He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying; "He Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses;" (matthew 8:16-17)Note: This article was in my church's bulletin this morning and I thought if very worth sharing.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
Last night we watched Left Behind the movie. It was based on the novel of the same name and dealt with what happens after the "Rapture of the Church." It was not a great movie, but it was pretty good. It portrays end time events from the perspective of a pre-tribulation Rapture. (I lean more toward a mid-trib interpretation). It does a good job in showing the confusion people left behind will experience when millions of people suddenly disappear, and the explainations they try to grasp in dealing with it. For example, the missing were all abducted by aliens, or it was radiation. Though how radiation could be that selective I don't know.
The movie also portrays the seductiveness of the anti-Christ, and how he will easily deceive those who are not believers.
Beyond the events foretold in the Bible, the movie is largely conjecture and the viewer has to keep that in mind. Also, I think the world will be in much more chaos after the Rapture than the movie portrayed. It just seemed too easy for the people "left behind" to get their lives back in order.
Friday, May 17, 2002
For lack of anything better to write about, I'll steal "Friday Five" questions from JK over at the Trash Heap.
1. What shampoo do you use? Infusium. It makes my hair feel soft as well as thick.
2. Do you use conditioner? Yes. I use Infusium leave in treatment. It's the only conditoner that really works well with my long hair. No tangles when I brush it after washing.
3. When was the last time you got your hair cut? I get my hair trimmed about every two months, and it's due again. My sister-in-law trims it for me. If I don't get it trimmed regularly, it gets very ragged ends.
4. What style product so you use? Just hairspray to keep it from getting wispy when I wear it up in a barrett. The big reason I let my hair grow long was so I didn't have to hassle with styling it every day.
5. What's your worst hair-related experience? I used to dye my hair, and that just about ruined it. It took a long time to get back to looking healthy after I quite the dye jobs.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Boy, was I wrong! It seems the midnight showing of SW II was a sellout. The line was a couple of blocks long. One fan waited in line 16 hours to be the first in line. Some fans wore their SW clothing, one young man had his hair in fashion like Anakin--pony tail and braid. There were even lightsaber fights. As the newpaper said, the new film has "stormed into Lewis County"! One fan pointed out that "'fan' is short for 'fanatic.'" Uh, yeah.
I almost fell off of my couch! Why? Because Ebert gave a "thumbs down" to Attack of the Clones, while Roeper gave it a hearty "thumbs up!" With these two movie reviewers it is generally just the opposite when it comes to movies the boys and I want to see. I am delighted with Roeper, but I wish Ebert liked it more. Perhaps he just wasn't in a receptive mood when he saw it. He should see it again!
Meanwhile, the boys, Pauline, and I are going to go see it this Saturday. I've had the book version on hold at the library and it came today. Now I am tempted to read it before I see the movie, but I won't...I won't...I won't!
If it hadn't been a school night, we would have gone to the midnight showing this morning. That would have been a blast. The good thing about living in a smaller town is that we don't have to hassle with long lines. I haven't heard how many were in line for the midnight showing, but when Episode I came out, the opening show had about 80 waiting in line. No camping out in parking lots for days on end in order to get into the first showing.
I made a decision today to go public with my weight loss program (or whatever you want to call it). I have created a new blog for this purpose. I call it The Agreeable Companion. It is scarey to do such a thing, but perhaps it will motivate me to stick with it this time. I can only hope!
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
My friend, Jean, sent me this a few days ago. She currently lives in North Carolina having moved there from Texas. Since my husband is from NC, I have learned many of these "truisms" over the course of 26 years. *Sigh* I'll never pass for a true southerner because I eat grits with sugar, never with just salt and butter.
THE TRUE SOUTHERNER
Only a true Southerner knows the difference between a hissy fit and a
conniption fit, and that you don't "have" them, but "pitch" them.
Nobody but a true Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip
greens, peas, beans, etc. make up a mess.
A true Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of
"yonder."
A true Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is --- as in "Going to
town, be back directly." ("terrectly" at times)
Even true Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request
for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in
the middle of the table.
All true Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They might not use
the term, but they know the concept well.
True Southerners know instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a
neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl
of cold potato salad. (If the trouble is a real crisis, they also know to
add a large banana puddin'.)
True Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near" and
"a right far piece." They know that "just down the road" can be 1 mile or
20.
True Southerners both know and understand the differences between a
redneck and a good ol' boy.
No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the flashing
turn signal is actually going to make a turn.
True Southerners know that "fixin" can be used as a noun (as in "all the
fixins") or a verb (as in "I am fixin' to go to town.")
True Southerners make friends standing in lines. We don't do "queues," we
do "lines." And when we're in line, we talk to everybody.
Put 100 Southerners in a room, and half of them will discover they're
related, if only by marriage.
True Southerners never refer to one person as "y'all."
True Southerners know grits come from corn (hominy) and how to eat them
(with butter and salt ...NEVER with sugar).
Every true Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee
are perfectly wonderful; that redeye gravy is also a breakfast food; that
fried green tomatoes are not breakfast food.
When you hear someone say, "Well, I called myself lookin'," you know
you're in the presence of a genuine Southerner.
Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk." Sweet tea indicates the need
for sugar and lots of it ----we do not like our tea unsweetened; "sweet
milk" means you don't want buttermilk. "Loaf bread" means sliced bread.
And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old
ladies who drive 30 on the freeway -----you say, "Bless her heart," and go
your way.
I've added a "comments" section to my blog. I look forward to reading entries. I consider this is a "G" rated site so, I trust anyone who chooses to leave a comment will respect that.
I have started on a weight loss program, again :-). During the course of the last three years I have been trying to lose weight. I follow the plan long enough to lose 20 to 30 pounds, then fall off the wagon and gain it all back. What a yo-yo!
Anyway, I am trying it again. The eating plan I am following is found in a book titled Arthritis, What Works. Jim picked this book up quite some time ago because of his arthritis. It has a 30 menu plan that is basically healthy eating, ie, lots of fish, fruit, and vegatables. I do reasonable modification to the menu sometimes when the food it recommends is too expensive, or something I don't like. For example, the menu calls for a once-a-week meatless evening meal. Not around here, I'm afraid. So, I use that day to do a pork dish.
I brought this up today because I found a blog by a woman who is on her own weight loss journey. While she chooses to remain annonymous her journal is anything but. It is an honest account of her desire to lose weight. She calls it Desert Mermaid. To date she has lost 33 pounds using the Weight Watchers Program. I wish her continued success.
which Episode II character are you?
Probably the greatest Jedi Knight of all. Like Obi Wan, you are wise and keep your feet on the ground at all times. You will not be outsmarted by anyone. You are always faithful to your friends. Be careful though, danger lurks around every corner - you could even be betrayed by those closest to you.
Comment: Well, Obi-Wan and I probably do have one thing in common--raising foster children! I trust mine will turn out better than his does!
Tuesday, May 14, 2002
First Love
copyright 1998
Your reflection appears in memory,
visible as iridescent shadow,
harmonizing rhythm in my pulse--
as honest as the sonata
living within heartbeats--
and dreams of faraway songs,
scoring newborn destiny,
like symphony's prelude.
Love entered gracefully,
gathered as a breath held...
gently,
like dew upon the day.
Monday, May 13, 2002
I got an email this morning from Paul Conneally who was sharing with the haiku group the results of his "Earth Day Ginko" haiku project. Two of my haiku are included (copyright 2002):Earth Day
at the park a garbage can
overflows
Earth Day
receiving word
of his cancer
We are watching the three-part mini-series Dinotopia. It is a fairly good story if you ignore the left-wing propaganda! For instance, 1) The idea that in order to be recognized by the State, you must register with the State. Or, (2) The idea that "weapons hurt everyone, even their owners." Never mind that here in the U.S, the framers of the constitution thought the "right" of the citizen to "keep and bear arms" was so important they made it number two on their list of important things. Plus, I think most of the owners of legal "weapons" in this country could testify that no harm has come them because of such ownership! How about 3) (If tonight's preview is anything to go by) The idea that the State can best determine your role in society based on its assessment of your abilities? I won't even mention 4) Don't eat meat, and (5) Animals share equal rights with humans.
On the plus side, I do think the world would be a better place if we thought of others before ourselves, or as the Bible says, "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Sunday, May 12, 2002
Today was a good day. It is such a blessing to have a mother like mine. It was a pleasure to spend time with her at church. She is certainly the Godly woman the Bible talks about in Proverbs 31, "Who can find a virtuous woman, her price is far above rubies." That's my mom! God bless you Mom.
A.S.A.P.
Ever wonder about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.? Generally we think of it in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives. Maybe if we think of this abbreviation in a different manner, we will begin to find a new way to deal with those rough days along the way. There's work to do, deadlines to meet; You've got no time to spare, But as you hurry and scurry- ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER. In the midst of family chaos, "Quality time" is rare. Do your best; let God do the rest- ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER. It may seem like your worries Are more than you can bear. Slow down and take a breather- ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER. God knows how stressful life is; He wants to ease our cares, And He'll respond to all your needs! A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.
I like the sentiment in this piece. It was once a pass around email I appropriated from JK, thanks.
Saturday, May 11, 2002
You are a woman of worldly wisdom and experience. You are sensitive, protective (maybe even motherly), you are highly respected and praised. Your gentility and grace always shine through. You have a very beautiful moral nature that defines who you are. You are a woman others seek to befriend and they would never want to cross you.
Which Royalty Are You? Find out! By Nishi.
Art used (c) by JonathonArt.com
The Fat Man Loses
copyright 1999
The fat man claims to be a man of the world
and dances around the stage as if to prove it.
The leading lady laughs deliciously
and exits arm in arm with the thin man--
after all, she knows the fat man is a jolly sort
and not like normal people
with feelings to be considered.
The weather is just gorgeous here. It's about 70, and it's supposed to be warmer tomorrow. It's going to be a great Mother's Day. We are going to church with Mom, and I'm looking forward to that. She attends the Assembly of God in Onalaska. It used to be our home church, so going there is a blast because we get to visit friends, too.
I actually washed my van today. That doesn't happen very often! We were out and about earlier. I had to go to the Copy Depot to do the copies of the journal I do for American Amateur Press Association. Tuesday I will do the journals for United Amateur Press Association. Saturdays white paper copies are less expensive, and Tuesdays color paper copies are cheaper--the same as white.
Then we went by the Goodwill. They are having a sale today. 30 to 50 percent off all inventory. I found a pin. A cloisonné cat. It's rather large, about 2 inches in height. The colors are in a purplish/red color scheme.
It does smell good around here. I have lasagna baking in the oven for dinner tonight. Yum. Of course, given my bias toward cooking, it's Stoffer's!
This evening is the fourth installment of our countdown to Attack of the Clones, the new Star Wars movie. The Phantom Menace, the film we're watching tonight, is not my favorite entry in the saga. In fact, when I saw it in theatre I thought it was a boring movie. It was so boring, I had to go see it again just to make sure it was as boring as I thought. It has actually grown on me over time, but I think it would be a much better movie if they had left out certain parts, like the whole podracer thing. Jar Jar Binks was an okay character, but the slapstick humor--i.e. getting hit in the groin, stepping in bantha poodoo--could have been omitted! For crying out loud, I get enough of that stupidity when the guys watch The Three Stooges. I dislike that show intensly.
On the other hand, there are scenes in TPM that I like. For instance, the whole light saber duel between Qui-Gonn, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul. Plus, "The Duel of the Fates" music score is awesome. I also appreciate the fact that I had no idea Amidala was queen until she revealed herself as such to Boss Nass. I like it when a movie can surprise me.
Friday, May 10, 2002
Reading a good book, well, reading any book, seems to have become something less than a priority in my life. Why? It's not really because I spend so much time online, is it? Anyway, I am about 1/3 of the way into The Eugenics War. In the old days, I would have had it finished and another two under my belt by now.
Be that as it may, I do have to devote some time to reading. In addition to the afore mentioned book, I have 5 books from the library: The Cat Who Went Up the Creek, featuring Qwill and his two favorite sleuting partners--er cats--Koko and Yum Yum; Lord of the Silent, another Ameilia Peabody mystery from Elizabeth Peters--this isn't her newest, but I figure I should read it before I read the newest one since they are written in chronological order; the last two entries in the Star Wars Jedi Apprentice series featuring Qui-Gonn and Obi-Wan when he was about 12--I know these are junior books, but I started reading the series and really want to finish it; plus a Jedi Apprentice special edition that features a story arc that begins with Qui-Gonn and Obi-Wan and continues years later with Obi-Wan and his apprentice Anakin.When I was at the library today, I logged on to the internet. I figured out why the computers up there won't access my homepage. It is because, for whatever reason, their browser won't recognise URLs that contain an underscore in it. Oh, I hope this doesn't become a common problem, else I will have to move my webpage. That will be quite a job, as I have three sites accessed through it.Dina has a new website up. It's fun to see her photos of her family.
Psalm 19:1-6THE HEAVENS declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech and night unto night shows knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tabernacle for the sun,
which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Thursday, May 09, 2002
"Queen Anne's Lace on steroids!" Yuck, what a fright! Actually it's the alternative name for the giant hogweed plant, a noxious weed that grows 15 feet tall with sap that burns and scars human skin. It's a relative of the native cow parsnip. Its sap is what can cause damage to human skin. It makes skin super-sensitive to light, which then can cause second-degree burns. It came to Washington back in the 1940s as a garden curiosity. It excaped it's cultivated environs and established itself in hundreds of spots in King County. Now, it seems to have invaded Lewis County as well. Great!
I bought the Paint Shop Pro software so I could learn how to create web graphics. I've learned a little bit about that during the past year. I need to take time to go through the book I have, Idiot's Guide to Paint Shop Pro, so I can learn how to make graphics that are a bit more sophisticated. In the meantime, however, I have been having fun experimenting. One of the funnest special effects is the kaleidoscope function. I can take a piece of clip art and turn it into a piece of very pretty art. Of course I have to go through a lot of clip art to get a kaleidoscope I think is special. The one I used to illustrated this from a clip of a hot air balloon
Wednesday, May 08, 2002
There isn't much happening here today, at least nothing exciting enough to write about, so I thought I would run a short piece of fanfic I wrote last year. I published it in Jaya's Journal, the zine I do as a member of The Force APA, in February 2001. It was scheduled to be published in You Could Use A Good Kiss, but the editor of that fanzine called it quits.At the End of the Day
Han Solo used two pillows to prop himself against the headboard of the bed he shared with Leia. He settled himself comfortably, thinking that after a day fill with accompaning Leia from one diplomatic meeting to another--something he didn't enjoy, he'd rather be helping Chewie make repairs to the Falcon--it was nice to just relax. It was good to be able to spend time with Leia, but diplomacy! He'd rather be a nerfherder!
Han watched as Leia closed the door to her wardrobe with a soft click and moved across the room to settle with a sigh in front of the mirror to her vanity. The vanity had been Han's gift to Leia on the occasion of their anniversary, just a month before. It was a replica of the one she had while growing up on Alderaan, and he smiled thinking of how pleased she had been when it was delivered to their suite on Coruscant.
Leia caught site of his smile in the reflection of the mirror and answered with one of her own. He winked at her, just to let her know he knew she was crazy about him. That caused her smile to broaden. She is beautiful, Han thought to himself, and cringed inwardly when he recalled how eager he had been to leave her to her execution on the Death Star. He cringed even more when he recalled his words to Luke. "Better her than me." Looking at her now, he was even ready to thank the mythical Force for sparing her that fate.
Leia turned her attention to her reflection in the mirror and prepared to brush her hair, a nightly routine that had been interupted only by unavoidable crises. She raised her hands to unpin the crown of braids that adorned her head, allowing it to fall into two thick plaits down her back. She grasped one braid, bringing it forward over her left shoulder. Gently she untwined the three strands. She then brought the other braid forward over her right shoulder and untwined it.
Leia picked up her brush, another Alderanni replica, and began to brush first one loosened braid, then the other. She then gathered the hair into one bunch, turned sideways on the vanity chair and leaned forward, bringing the entire mass of hair over her head. She brushed the underside until it gleamed in the softness of the vanity's lights. When she finished, Leia flipped her hair back over her head so it once again fell down her back. She then gathered it and pulled it forward over her shoulder. Turning back to the mirror, Leia brushed the outside length until it, too, gleamed.
Placing the brush on the vanity, Leia prepared to bind her hair into a single braid--the way she preferred to wear it when sleeping.
"No," said Han, reaching out a hand toward her. "Leave it down."
Leia smiled again and rose from the vanity. As she walked toward him, her hand outstretched to take his, a voice from the past whispered in Han's mind: If you were to rescue her the reward would be more wealth than you can imagine.
Tuesday, May 07, 2002
Wow! My poem "After" has been accepted for publication in Dragon, Knights, and Angels: The Magazine of Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction. They are even paying me for the right to publish it. Ten whole dollars. This is only the third paid publication for me since I started writing poetry about 9 years ago. The first two were haiku published in Modern Haiku, I was paid one dollar each for those. It's true what the "how-to-write-poetry" people say, "you probably won't get rich writing poetry"!At any rate, I can't publish the piece here since it's under contract to DKA, but, if you'd like to read it, it has been previously published at Wellspring.
I consider "After" my signature poem because it talks about what I think will happen after I die, because of my faith in Jesus.
The haiku published in Modern Haiku were (copyright 1996 by Deborah Beachboard):
the last jar
of crabapple jelly
Grandma's tree cut down
as he waits he reads
The Tao of Pooh
son's k'garten screening
Monday, May 06, 2002
The Nine Planets, A Multimedia Tour of the Solar System by Bill Arnett, is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of each of the planets and moons in our solar system. Each page has text and images, some have sounds and movies, most provide references to additional related information.
Spiderman was a good movie. At least the boys' enjoyed it. They went with Rena, as planned, but only as far as Lacey. That is less than half the distance to where they originally planned to go up in Lakewood. Anyway, the guys enjoyed the movie except they said the ending was "lame." Apparently, the hero just walks away from his girlfriend. I told them that only means there is going to be a sequel! Something to look forward to, you know!
After the movie, they went over to the Capital Mall and hung out for a while. They had fun there, too, I guess. They played in the arcade, anyway. I don't think they spent too much time there, though. Jacob said he spent only 75 cents. Or maybe they were there a longer time than I suppose and Jacob has learned not to squander his money foolishly. Maybe earning his own money on the paper route is causing him to appreciate it a bit more.
Before they went to the movie, they went out to eat. Rena took them to Issy's Pizza. They had their fill there becuase it is an all you can eat joint. Plus at the movie they had candy. Anyway, they were so full when they got home I didn't even have to fix any dinner. That's fine by me becuase I didn't want to share my stirfry anyway. I love stir fry, and I actually made it myself with one of those kits you get at the market and a steak. Yum.
Yesterday afternoon, I went over to the Youth Fair to retrieve the boys exhibits. Edward was the only one who received ribbons. He took two third place on his art, and a second on his Lego model. That means he gets six dollars in prize money. He was happy about that.
Jim had an adventure this morning. He went down to Westport yesterday because this morning at 4 am he was going out on a charter to fish for halibut. Well, he called me just a short time ago to tell me the trip didn't quite go as planned. They started out all right. The captain had called the Coast Guard to see if the water was calm enough to go out. The Guard said yes, so they started out. Jim says they were out about 20 miles when they hit a swell so large it felt like the boat was going to capsize. Jim said the swell flung him against the table where he was sitting and he banged his head pretty good. Anyway, the captain turned the boat around and headed back. They made it in all right, though. Good grief!
It didn't surprise me that the boat had to come back in. Yesterday when Jim first got down there the people at the charter's office said they thought the trip would probably be cancelled because of rough seas. It's too bad, though, that he didn't get to fish because halibut is plenty good!
Sunday, May 05, 2002
There is a part of me that wants to seek the things of God with every fibre of my being. Then there is the part that does not! My solace is that this spiritual split-personality is not unique to my Christian experience, for even the Apostle Paul wrote that the things he should have done, he didn't, and the things he shouldn't have done, he did.
Even though I let various foolishnesses clutter up my life, one thing remains constant; I love Jesus. He is my Anchor. I can't imagine life without him.
I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior 14 years ago. I can remember things I did before that, but I can't remember how it felt to be without Him in my life.
I was 30 then, and terrified of dying because I knew if I died without Jesus, I would go to hell. Now, some preachers hesitate to preach about hell, but going to hell was a motivating factor in my Salvation. Once my fear was eased, I discovered Jesus was so much more than a quarantee of eternal security.I Have Jesus
Whatever happens on the storm-tossed way,
Whatever happens to cloud up the day,
Whatever happens to cause me dismay--
I have Jesus.
Jesus, the One Who quiets the sea
Jesus, the One Who makes the clouds flee,
Jesus, the One Who brings hope to me--
I have Jesus.
(copyright 2000 by Deborah Beachboard)
Saturday, May 04, 2002
Well, speaking of clones. I received this bit of information in a friend's email today.IS HE CRAZY? A fellow by the name of Mike Blaylock of San Francisco, believes he has found a gold mine in an underground vault he plans to fill with hair. That's right, human hair. The tresses will come from heads of men and women who worry they might become bald someday. Blaylock figures with cloning making such progress, it won't be long before someone finds a way to create hair from the DNA of a preserved hair sample. He expects some people will be happy to pay him to stash their hair now in a climate-controlled vault 14 feet below a Portland, OR hair salon. A hair collection kit will cost $49.95 with a $10 annual storage fee, according to a recent AP story. Hairogenics, the name of the entrepreneurial business, is now prepared to store up to 800,000 bags of hair.What next?
So, this evening we are having the third installment of our countdown to Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones.We started two weeks ago with A New Hope. Last week week was The Empire Strikes Back. This week is Return of the Jedi. Next week will be The Phantom Menace. Then on the 18th we'll go to the Chehalis theatre to see the new movie.
Our little SW "party" isn't really much; our friend Pauline comes over, we eat dinner then watch a movie, but we have been enjoying it even if we have seen the movies a dozen and one times already.
Our dinners have been simple, too, because if there is anything I dislike it's cooking! The first week we had Kentucky Fried Chicken. The second week we had Figaro's pizza. Tonight we are having cheeseburgers and french fries. I am actually cooking that, but I'm using pre-formated burgers and Oreida fries ;-)
I did make a homemade dessert to go with our dinner. But it was easy, too.Creamy Orange Pie 1 pkg (8 oz) light cream cheese, softenedIn a large bowl with electric mixer, mix cream cheese until fluffly. Add condensed milk and mix until incorporated. Mix in orange juice until smooth and creamy. Gently stir in whipped topping. Pile into crust. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (pie may be refrigerated overnight). (Recipe developed by Marlene Sorosky)
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 can (6oz) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 carton (8oz) Safeway whipped topping, thawed
1 9-inch graham cracker crust
I have been a Star Wars fan for a long time. Jim and I saw the first movie when in premiered in theatre all those years ago. I got a kick out of something Ewen McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) said in an interview. He said that some SW fans act as if they are part of some sort of secret society of wierd people. I'm not a really rabid fan, but I guess I have been a member of the secret society of wierd people since 1977!There has been almost as much hype about the new Spiderman movie as there has been about the new Star Wars movie. I am not a fan of Spiderman, but most of the reviews I've read by fans have indicated the movie is very much worth the ticket price.
The movie came out yesterday. The boys' Aunt Rena is taking them to see it. She is as much of a Spiderman fan as I am a Star Wars fan. When she heard I wasn't taking the boys to see Spidey, she immediately said she would take them. She, husband Dave, and Tommy (the boys' cousin) are taking them tomorrow afternoon. Because Rena wants to see it on a BIG screen, they are going up to Lakewood--this end of Tacoma.
This afternoon I am taking the boys over to The Grocery Outlet so they can buy some stuff-in-their-pockets candy to munch on during the movie tomorrow.
Friday, May 03, 2002
Tuesday afternoon, Edward and I went over to the SW Washington Fairgrounds so he could enter exhibits in the Spring Youth Fair, which happens this weekend. He entered two drawings in art, both of Winnie-the-Pooh characters. He also entered a Lego model boat in the hobbies department. We also entered exhibits for Christopher and Victor. Chris entered two drawings, one of Winnie-the-Pooh characters he drew, and one cartoon, one he made up himself. It is a characature of the Star Wars character Han Solo. In it, Han is on a pogo stick. Chris called it "Han Pogo." Victor entered two drawings in art also. One is a of a comic book type character, the other is of a logo like you would find on a skate board.
As participants in the fair, they all have a free admission ticket, so we will go on Saturday to see how they all did with their exhibits. They get excited about receiving ribbons, but I think they are even more excited by the prize money. Last year a first place ribbon was worth 5 dollars.
There was an article about the Youth Fair in this week's Lewis County News. Apparently the fair has been in existence for 21 years. In the article the current fair manager says, "The fair is geared for youth...The spring fair was started with the purpose to provide an early fair season training, and to encourage youngsters to enter fairs, even though they are not part of an organization. During the regular fair [in August, the SW Washington Fair], no "open youth" showing is allowd...but at the Spring Youth Fair, all youth may show, even if they do not belong to a 4-H or some other group."
Actually, the SWW Fair does allow open entry in some catagories, like Junior Art and Hobbies. We enter exhibits in those catagories each year.
Thursday, May 02, 2002
To Discover Russian Haiku....
a website featuring haiku from Marina Hagen, Chelyabinsk and Konstantin Karabcheev, Orsk.
Lewis County is considered a rural county. Plus, here in western Washington rainy days are not uncommon. So, I got a tickle out of Jim Shouse's column (which he got from a friend who got it from her son via email) in Tuesday's Chronicle.
You know you're from Lewis County if . . .
- Your idea of a traffic jam is three cars behind a log truck at a traffic light.
- "Vacation" means going to Seattle or Portland for the weekend [we're halfway between the two].
- You measure distance in hours.
- You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.
- You use a down comforter in the summer.
- Your grandparents drive at 65 mph through a raging thunderstorm without flinching.
- You see people wearing hunting clothes at socal events.
- You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
- You think of the major food groups as elk meat, beer, fish, and berries.
- You carry jumper cables in your pickup and your wife knows how to use them.
- There are three empty cars running in the parking lot at the AM/PM at any given time.
- You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a raincoat.
- Driving is better in the winter because almost everybody stays home.
- You think sexy lingerie is tube socks and flannel pajamas.
- You know all four seasons: almost winter, winter, still raining, and construction.
- It takes you three hours to go to the store for one item, even when your're in a rush, because you have to stop and talk to everyone in town.
- You actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your friends in Lewis County.
One of my favorite emails is Dictionary.com's Word of the Day because I like to learn new words. In fact, I am one of those people who will stop reading when I come to an unfamiliar word and look it up before I go on. I also am constantly amazed that some words for which I think I know the definitiion, I don't really know the definition. For example, I always thought "moot," as in "It's a moot point," meant the answer was self-evident so it doesn't really matter. But, in actuality, it means it's "subject to discussion."
Wednesday, May 01, 2002
I want to share a piece of poetry that came via email this morning from Knopf. It is a translation of Sappho (7th and 6th century b.c., Greece) by Anne Carson. I have read some of Sappho's poetry here and there and enjoyed much of it. The brackets in the poem below indicate places where words are missing in the original manuscripts.
I simply wanted to be dead.
Weeping she left me
with many tears and said this:
Oh how badly things have turned out for us.
Sappho, I swear, against my will I leave you.
And I answered her:
Rejoice, go and remember me. For you know how we cherished you.
But if not, I want
to remind you
]and beautiful times we had.
For many crowns of violets
and roses
]at my side you put on
and many woven garlands
made of flowers
around your soft throat.
And this came from Aunt Patty. I enjoyed it much, especially because I become so irritated sometimes by the silly things the children do. I need to remember there is joy everywhere if I think to look for it.
Dandelions and Mud Puddles
When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that
are going to take over my yard. My kids see flowers for Mom and
blowing white fluff you can wish on.
When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a person
who probably wants money and I look away. My kids see someone
smiling at them and they smile back.
When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't
have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen. My kids
feel
the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't
know them, they make up their own.
When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it
messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk. My kids close
their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to
the ground laughing.
When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me
that.
My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends.
keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to
Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."
When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes
and
dirty carpets. My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers
to cross and worms to play with.
I wonder if we are given children to teach or to learn from? No
wonder God loves the little children!!
"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back
and realize they were the big things. Just a reminder about the
important things in life.
I wish you mud puddles and dandelions.
Isn't this a beautiful photo. It is of the Tadpole galaxy in the Draco constellation as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. There are more photos of galaxies and nebulas from Hubble, but I think this is the most wonderful image.
If you surfed in from a webring located on The Beachboard Homepage use this link to return.
